Alia Montijo, M.F.A.

About

Alia Simon Montijo (she/they) is an accomplished performer and creator with international recognition based in Chicago, Illinois. She holds a BFA in Dance and Arts Administration from Ohio State University and an MFA in Choreography from Jacksonville University.

​Alia has danced professionally with Dance Avondale Collective, Eisenhower Dance Detroit, Inaside Chicago Dance, The Joel Hall Dancers, and Thodos Dance Chicago (guest artist), and was the Artistic Director of Noumenon Dance Ensemble where she earned local and national recognition for her choreography.

Alia's awards and accomplishments include the Individual Artist Program grant from DCASE for her work "The Third Culture" in 2023, Honorable Mention from Toronto Contact International Dance Festival, and Audience Choice from Dance/Media Japan for the dance film "The Blood Harvest in 2021/2020, Finalist for the Young Alumni Achievement Award from Ohio State University in 2020, Best in Live Performance from the Venice International Art Festival in 2019, and 3rd place in the Denman Research Forum for her research in dance for community enrichment and scholastic mobility in 2007.

Alia is the founder and lead teacher of Dance Avondale and has been on the faculty at North Central College, Roosevelt University, and Columbia College Chicago. To learn more about Alia, please visit www.aliamontijo.com.

Degrees

MFA, Jacksonville University

BFA, Ohio State University